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Hunting the Storm
Hunting the storm is the second book in Powers of the storm. Thunderclan Leader: '''Swiftstar - white tabby tom with dark stripes '''Deputy: '''Leopardclaw - golden tabby she-cat apprentice, pearlpaw '''Medicine cat: '''Fernpelt - brown tabby she-cat with green eyes '''warriors: '''Harewhisker - grey tom apprentice, flamepaw Darkfoot - grey she-cat with black feet and yellow eyes Ashpelt - grey and white tom redfur - dark ginger tom Sunfur - golden she-cat Blueclaw - blue-grey she-cat '''Apprentices: '''Flamepaw - ginger tom Pearlpaw - cream she-cat Lightpaw - cream she-cat Darkpaw - dark grey tom '''Queens: '''Paleflower - cream she-cat Snowfall - white she-cat Elders: Halfclaw - ancient black tom Hazelfur - golden brown tabby she-cat '''Shadowclan Leader: Fallenstar - black and white tom Deputy: '''Ashclaw - grey tabby tom '''Medicine cat: '''Cloudfur - white long haired she-cat '''warriors: '''Applefur - brown tortoiseshell she-cat Strongclaw - big black tom Apprentice, shadepaw Adderpelt - small dark brown tabby tom Lizardtail - light ginger tabby she-cat Apprentice, peachpaw Slashclaw - grey she-cat Apprentice, tallpaw '''Apprentices: '''Shadepaw - black she-cat with bright green eyes Peachpaw - golden she-cat Tallpaw - white tom '''Queens: '''Furzepelt - golden she-cat '''Elders: '''Threefeet - tortoiseshell she-cat missing a foot '''Windclan Leader: '''Grassstar - golden brown she-cat with grass green eyes '''Deputy: Blackthorn - black tom with blue eyes Apprentice, Breezepaw Medicine cat: Duskfur - golden she-cat she-cat Warriors: 'Dustfall - grey tom Stonepelt - black tom with blue eyes Tawnyfur - brown she-cat Apprentice, Antpaw Copperfur - dark ginger she-cat '''Apprentices:'Breezepaw - dark grey tabby she-cat with light blue eyes Antpaw - brown tom '''Queens: '''Gorsefur - Pale brown tabby she-cat '''Elders: '''none!! '''RiverClan Leader: Flowerstar - tortoiseshell she-cat with blue eyes Deputy: Pinemist - grey tom Apprentice - aquapaw Medicine cat: 'Smallclaw - pale tom with small claws and blue eyes '''Warriors: '''Ivystripe - brown tabby she-cat Eagletalon - brown she-cat Apprentice, Wetpaw Honeystripe - golden tabby she-cat Rockfur - black tom Fawnflight - tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes Hawkclaw - golden tabby tom Rainpelt - grey tom apprentice, smallpaw '''Apprentices: '''Smallpaw - small white she-cat with amber eyes Wetpaw - dark grey she-cat Aquapaw - grey tom with deep blue eyes '''Queens: '''pebblebeach - grey tabby she-cat '''Elders: '''Tornclaw - grey and white tom Chapter 1 Aquapaw, like the best of hunters, was patient. He stood gazing down at the stream that wound around the RiverClan camp, one paw raised, ready to strike. He eventually spotted a gleam of silver, and dipped his paw in to flip the fish out. the sun was low in the sky as aquapaw returned to camp, with his catch in his mouth. the enterance to the camp was in sight when he heard pawsteps behind him, and saw Wetpaw running to catch up to him. "Hi!" Wetpaw panted, matching his pace. "Hi" Aquapaw mumbled through his mouthful of fish. Wetpaws eyes darted down to the fish "good catch!" Aquapaw nodded in appreciation, and paused to let her throught the enterance first. it had been a long day of hunting, and aquapaw was exauseted. he put his catch on the pile and turned to the apprentices den.... ''He saw himself, pelt rippling with strength, standing with the three cats he had seen in his other dream. But the most particular thing was that he could see the faint outline of... a pair of wings! Each of them supported a huge pair of wings, glowing palely in the night. He woke with a start, his breath coming out in short gasps. The sky was lightening now, and Wetpaw was no longer in her nest. "Aquapaw!" Pinemist called Aquapaw stretched and walked into the clearing, where his mentor sat. "What are we doing today?" "We are going to going the dawn patrol" Pinemist meowed, and walked over to where Eagletalon, Fawnflight, and Wetpaw where waiting. They set of towards the WindClan border, pushing through the dripping grass. He stopped to scent the air, but he couldn’t smell any rogues. Realizing he was being left behind, he sped up to fall into pace beside Wetpaw. As they patrolled the border, Aquapaw caught a fresh scent. WindClan! He was about to turn and warn the rest of the patrol, but suddenly a patrol of WindClan cats walked out. "Blackthorn" Pinemists eyes narrowed at the WindClan deputy "Don’t worry, Pinemist" blackthorn blinked "we are only marking our border" Pinemist relaxed and asked "have you scented those rogues?" "Oh, we have" blackthorn growled "we caught them prey-hunting" the rest of the WindClan patrol lashed their tails Pinemist bristled "those rogues! They’re a threat to every clan!" he spat “I hope you taught them a lesson!" A grey tom spoke up "we did! The last we saw of them, they were running for the ThunderClan border!" As the two deputies wished each other goodbye, Aquapaw noticed a grey tabby apprentice. It was the cat from his dream! The apprentices eyes slid from Pinemist to Aquapaw. Her eyes glinted with recognition. "Come on RiverClan!" Pinemist yowled and pelted away through the long grass. Aquapaw shot one last glance at the WindClan apprentice, and darted after his mentor, the rest of the patrol following. When they had reached the RiverClan camp, Pinemist gave a quick report to Flowerstar, and then Flowerstar leapt up onto the tree-stump. "Cats of RiverClan!" Flowerstar yowled, calling the cats from around the camp. Aquapaw settled himself beside Wetpaw and Smallpaw, and looked up at the RiverClan leader "I will announce the cats going to the gathering" Flowerstar called "Pinemist, Eagletalon, Hawkclaw, Tornclaw, Aquapaw, Wetpaw, you will come." then she leapt off the tree stump, and into her den Aquapaw turned and saw Wetpaw looking at him. "Isn’t it going to be great?" Wetpaw asked excitedly, her tail twitching. "Yeah" Aquapaw mumbled, thinking. This was his chance to ask the other cats weather they had had the same dream as him! Chapter 2 Breezepaw balanced on the tree-bridge as she crossed onto the island. She crossed the sandy shore, and pushed through the bracken into the clearing. "RiverClan and ShadowClan are already here" Antpaw commented behind her Breezepaw murmured her agreement, scanning the clearing. She desperately wanted to find the cats shed seen in her dream, and sure enough, she spotted the grey tom she had seen at the border talking to a black she-cat. Quickly she walked over to them. The she-cat saw her coming and muttered something to her companion. "Hi" Breezepaw mewed as she reached them. "Hi" the black she cat meowed "your Breezepaw right? I’ve seen you at gatherings" Breezepaw blinked and nodded. "I’m Aquapaw" the grey tom told him "and this is Shadepaw" the black she-cat nodded to her "Err..." Breezepaw hesitated. What if these cats hadn’t had any dreams like her? "I..." "I know what you are going to ask" Shadepaw purred "have we had any strange dreams?" Breezepaw gasped. They knew! "Well" Aquapaw told her "the answer; yes we have" then he paused "you have too, haven’t you?" he asked quickly "Oh, yes" Breezepaw nodded fiercely "so we all had the same dream about the storm and the lightning?" "You have the power of the rain the falls, of the night that hides, of the wind that blows, of the fire that blazes" Shadepaw recited. "But who was the fourth cat?" "Maybe he’s from ThunderClan..." Breezepaw meowed thoughtfully. Aquapaw and Shadepaw looked at her questioningly. "You know" Breezepaw mewed impatiently "I’m from WindClan, you're from ShadowClan and RiverClan, wouldn’t it make sense to have cats from all clans?" Shadepaw nodded and asked "but what does StarClan want us to do?" "Cats of all clans!!!" Fallenstar yowled, and the three cats turned their gazes towards him. "The gathering begins. Grassstar, you may begin" the black-and-white tom stepped back for the WindClan leader to speak. "The rabbits are running well. But a few sunrises ago, a patrol caught some rogues prey-stealing. Breezepaw and Antpaw fought like warriors" Grassstar paused and yowls of compliments rang around the hollow "we sent them heading for the ThunderClan border. You best keep an eye out for them Swiftstar" she advised "Thank you" Swiftstar stepped forward "but actually, we have already encountered them. A patrol chased them past the ShadowClan border. Also, an apprentice has been made a warrior. Blueclaw is here as a warrior tonight" Yowls of congratulations filled the air, and Breezepaw saw a grey warrior, puffed up in pride on the other side of the oak. "We have not scented any rogues" Fallenstar glanced at Swiftstar "but the prey is running well, and Furzepelt has given birth to two kits" Last of all, Flowerstar spoke up "we are glad it seems the rogues have left clan territory. Prey is running well, and Pebblebeach has given birth to one kit" All four leaders jumped down and began to call their clans. "I’ll see you later then" Breezepaw mewed, standing up. "Watch out for those rogues!" Aquapaw purred to Shadepaw and turned away to his clan. Breezepaw walked towards her gathering clanmates, thinking. We’ve found three of the cats in the prophecy. Who is the fourth? Chapter 3 Flamepaw walked back to camp with his mouth full of prey. He had been disappointed not to go to the gathering last night, but he couldn’t go every time. As he set down his prey, Blueclaw bounded over to him. "Hey Flamepaw!" she purred, blinking in the morning light. "Good hunt?" Flamepaw stretched and answered "yeah" he looked around the clearing. pearlpaw was asleep in the apprentice den, and darkfoot, sunfur and redfur where marking the shadow clan border. a cough sounded from the medicine den, followed by worried murmerings. leopardclaw had developed a bad fever, and moved to the medicine den, but not before she had spread it to lightpaw. "Blueclaw! Flamepaw!" Harewhisker called "were patrolling the WindClan border" and he walked out into the forest. Flamepaw raced after his mentor, Blueclaw following. As the passed a huge oak flame paw looked around for her, but she had disappeared. He narrowed his eyes, wondering where she had gotten too. Suddenly, the bushes in front of him rusted and a grey she-cat leapt on top of him. "Blueclaw!" he gasped, and pushed her off him with his powerful hind legs. Blueclaw purred and shook the leaves and moss of the forest floor from her pelt "got you!" flamepaw was about to reply that she hadent really "gotten him", but harewhisker apeared in foront of them. "Are you planning to reach the border in the next moon?" he growled at the two young cats "we've got a border to mark" Flamepaw quickly bounded after his disappearing mentor, glancing at Blueclaw. "Oops" she purred to him softly, her whiskers twitching. The patrol paused by the border. "No sign of those rogues" commented Flamepaw. Harewhisker nodded in agreement and began to renew the scent marks. Once they had finished, they marched back to camp through the dense forest. "I’m starving!" Blueclaw groaned "I haven’t eaten all day" Flamepaw purred in amusement and they ran through the thorn barrier, straight for the fresh kill pile. Watching Blueclaw wolf down her mouse, he became aware of how tired he was. Leaving Blueclaw to her meal, he walked into the apprentice den, and curled into sleep. His dreams where wild and confused, whirling around him. The swirl of colour and light slowed, and he found himself on the gathering island. Three cats where sitting by the base of the great oak, as though waiting for someone. He tried to call out, but his dreams began to swirl again, and the cats disappeared. He leapt to his paws, looking around wildly, until he realized he was in the apprentice den. He felt a tug towards the island, and nervously looked around. Most of the warriors where in their den, and Pearlpaw was on patrol. As quietly as he could, he slipped out of camp, and sprinted towards the lake. He kept an eye out for WindClan patrols as he raced along the shore. He wasn’t exactly sure why he was doing this, but something told him it was important. He leapt across the tree-bridge in his haste, almost slipping on its slippery bark. He burst into the clearing, gasping for breath. "What the-" a voice yelped in surprise. A group of cats walked nervously up to him. "Who are you?" one of the asked, her green eyes narrowed. "Flamepaw" Flamepaw stated defiantly, bristling. "What are you doing? Why are you here?" asked a small grey tom kindly Flamepaw almost told him that it was none of his business and to leave him alone, but the reasonable look in the toms eyes stopped him. "I..." he meowed awkwardly The cats waited expectantly "I’m not sure" he mumbled "I think it was a dream" He expected the other cats to scoff at the idea, but the exchanged looks full of meaning. "A dream?" a dark grey she-cat asked "have you had any others?" Flamepaw stiffened. They knew about his dream! Then, for the first time he recalled the pelt colours of those cats he'd seen in his dream. Dark gray tabby, black and mid-grey. The exact same of the cats standing in front of him. "You’re the cats from my dream!" he gasped. "Our dream" the black she-cat added "the dream telling us about the lightning, and the storm" "By the way, I’m Aquapaw." the small grey tom told Flamepaw "this is Shadepaw" he pointed with his tail to the black cat "and Breezepaw" the dark tabby nodded in greeting. "Soo..." Shadepaw murmured. "We’ve found the four!" Aquapaw meowed triumphantly. "Yes" Breezepaw narrowed her eyes "but what does the prophecy mean?" Chapter 4 Shadepaw blinked. what did it mean? when it looked like no-one would answer, Aquapaw recited "You have the power of the rain the falls, of the night that hides, of the wind that blows, of the fire that blazes and burns, and yet brings life in its wake." "the storm is rolling, ready for a new area. yet the lightning above flashes red, foretelling danger and battles to come. beware!" continued Shadepaw, flicking her dark tail "so we have power" Breezepaw murdered " will we be able to win all battles?" Flamepaw asked excitedly Shadepaw glared at him "and when did the StarClan cats say that?" Flamepaw was beginning to get on her nerves Aquapaw stepped between them "we cant fight now!" his eyes where wide "yes" Breezepaw agreed "now, the rain that falls..." Shadepaw felt Aquapaw shiver, and she pressed herself against him. his fur was surprisingly cold, and he shivered against her. was he sick? "... there must be someone were supposed to fight, with battles and danger..." Breezepaw was still saying Shadepaw remembered how strangely Ashclaw had been behaving. "have any of your clanmates been acting strangely?" she asked tentatively Flamepaw replied "darkfoot..." his amber eyes narrowed "she has disappeared a few times, and she only ever patrols the ShadowClan border." Shadepaw heart sped up "Ashclaw has been acting strangely too. I saw him sneaking around the thunderclap border." Aquapaw spoke up "could they be meeting?" his fur was warmer now- but he didn’t try to move away from her. the sky was lightning again, so the cats said their good byes and headed toward their territories. Breezepaw and Flamepaw headed to the wind clan border, and Shadepaw followed Aquapaw through RiverClan territory. the walked, pelts brushing, till they reached where the lake fled into the stream that ran by the RiverClan camp. "you should go to your camp" Shadepaw mewed to Aquapaw Aquapaw shook his head. "no, ill go with you to the border" he insisted "what if a patrol caught you?" "but..." seeing the determination in his eyes, Shadepaw gave in "alright" Aquapaw leapt over the stream, and continued to the border "come on!" Shadepaw purred and leapt after him, enjoying his company. the two reached the border as the sun peeked over the horizon "well, bye then" Shadepaw sighed reluctantly. it had been nice to run with an older apprentice for a while. Tallpaw and Peachpaw acted like kits! Aquapaw nodded, and tuned back towards his camp, his tail waving. as Shadepaw walked back to camp, she decided she would check the ThunderClan border for Ashclaws scent, and catch some prey on the way. sure enough, a fresh scent drifted towards her, and she quickly followed it. peeking from behind a plump of brambles, she saw him. a grey she-cat sat next to him, mewing in his ear, and demonstrating a battle move, her dark paws clawing the air darkfoot? Shadepaw thought. was this the cat Flamepaw had mentioned? she breathed again, and caught a scent of rogue. Shadepaw stiffened. darkfoot had walked away, and Ashclaw was walking towards her. she knew if she moved he would see her. but ash claw just kept walking, as though she was invisible. she ran to camp, thinking. The night that hides... The night that hides... she quickly told Fallenstar she had scented the rogues, and sat in front of him as he called a clan meeting. the cats gathered and Fallenstar meowed; "the rogues have been scented by the ThunderClan border!" "we should double the patrols!" called out Applefur Fallenstar nodded to the she-cat and continued "thatch just what we'll do" he paused "also, I have a ceremony to perform" Shade paws eyes widened "Shadepaw, you have been deserving of a warrior name for a moon now. it was you who scented the rogues, and now I give you your warrior name." he announced. Shadepaw stood up, her legs feeling weak. "I, Fallenstar, ask our warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. She has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend her to you as a warrior in her turn. Shadepaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?" Fallenstar meowed commandingly "I do" Shadepaw could feel her heart pounding in her chest. a warrior! "then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. Shadepaw, from now on, you will be known as Shadefern" fallen star touched the top of Shadeferns head, and she licked his shoulder respectfully "StarClan honours your bravery and determination" Tallpaw and Peachpaw called "shadefern! Shadefern!" the clan cheered with them Shadefern could feel Ashclaws gaze boring into her. did he suspect her of seeing him with Darkfoot? chapter 5 Aquapaw was ditirmined not to wake up. he could hear his mentor calling him faintly, but the meeting at the island had exausted him. "Aquapaw?" it was wetpaw. "Pinemist is calling you" he couldent ignor his mentor any longer, so he walked out into the clearing, blikning his eyes "you took your time" growled pinemist. he paused, surveying his sleepy aprentice "are you feeling sick?" "no" Aquapaw shook himself, trying to look more alert "ok then" pinemist hesitated, the instrusted him "you can go hunting by the stream" Aquapaw walked out of camp, scenting the air. a mouse darted past his paw, and he quickly grabbed it. he continued to walk, untill he found himself by the shadowclan border. eyes gleamed and a shadowclan patrol apeared. the patrol leader surveyed Aquapaw dissmisively "hello" he nodded in greeting and the patrol filed on. last in line, looking tired, was shadepaw! "shadepaw!" he hissed shadepaw started. she looked at Aquapaw for a second, and called out to the cat who had greeted Aquapaw "strongclaw! i can scent prey. can i hunt?" strongclaw paused "ok. we'll head back to camp" and the patrol dissapeared into the shadowy forest. shadepaw walked up to him "what?" Aquapaw frowned "i was just wondering how you where, shadepaw." "shadefern" the she-cat corrected him, her head raised. then her eyes sofened "im fine. how are you?" "im great" aquapaw purred shadefern looked around "i should go" and she turned away Aquapaw bounded back to camp, feeling happy "i see your feeling better" commented pinemist "yea-" he broke off with an enormous cough pinemist narrowed his eyes "or not" "i must have just swallowed somthing" Aquapaw gasped, then coughed again pinemist hurried him into the medicine den. "Smallclaw!" Smallclaw looked aroung from where he was sorting herbs "what?" "Aquapaws coughing" he told the medicine cat "its nothing!" aquapaw insisted, then started coughing smallclaw poked him with his nose "you have a fever" he looked through his herb piles again "lie in one of the nests." aquapaw lay down and coughed up. after a while it was getting too warm in his nest, so he rolled onto the dirty floor. "Aquapaw!" Wetpaw mewed, walking in with a mouthfull of herbs "what are you doing?" "too hot" he groaned and coughed again. "your eyes are streaming!" she gasped smallclaw offerer him a borage leaf "eat this" then he turned to wetpaw "go. we dont want you catching greencough too!" wetpaw gasped, and smallclaw pushed her out of the den. "i... have greencough?" aquapaw murrmered weakly "yes" smallclaw passed him a few stalks of catmint "i just hope you havent-" rockfur stumbled in , and gasped "smallclaw- its honeystripe." his breath came in gaspes " her eyes and nose are streaming" smallclaws eyes widened "quick! bring her here!" rockfur hesitated "pinemists coughing too" then ran from the den Aquapaw groaned "oh no..." then fell into a deep sleep later he woke. he tried to open his eyes, but they where stuck. he tried mewing for help "eat this" a paw shoved some herbs near his muzzle, and he gratfully ate them aquapaws eyes chrunched painfully open. it dident make much difference. the world was blurred, and all he could make out was the faint outlines of cats curled in nests. the cat who had given him herbs went back to sorting. aquapaw identified him as smallclaw. he realised someone was lying next to him. wetpaw. he perssed against her warm pelt and drifted into sleep again. Chapter 6 Breezepaw ran. her paws flew across the moor, faaster than she had ever ran before. then she spotted her goal. a small bush of catmint grew in the wind swept land, and it was breezepaws last hope. last night tawnyfur had come down with greencough, and spread it to antpaw and grassstar. duskfur had sent her to fetch as much cat mint as she could. she knew it wouldent be much after the frosts, but it had to do.she picked the stems and hurried back to camp. "that was quick" duskfur commented as she took the catmint from her. breezepaw watched as she fed it to the sick cats. "its not enough" duskfur sighed, her eyes clouding with fear breezepaws eyes widened "we must go to thunderclan!" she insisted grassstar looked up from her nest "shes right" she told the medicine cat weakly "its our last hope" duskfur hesitated, then sighed “ok. Breezepaw, tell blackthorn before you leave” breezepaw hurtled out the enterance, and towards the tallrock where blackthorn sat beneath it shadow “blackthorn” she meowed quickly “grassstar told me to get catmint from thunderclan” blackthorn narrowed his eyes “take a warrior with you” breezepaw nodded, and ran over to where copperfur was sharing tongues. “im going to get catmint from thunderclan!” she explained “will you come with me?” copperfurs green eyes widened “ok” they raced out of camp, and across the moor. Breezepaw relised she was leaving copperfur behind, so she slowed down “your fast!” copperfur gasped “wait” breezepaw skidded to a stop by the thunderclan border “a patrol has been here recently” the two windclan cats raced along the border to where the thunderclan patrol had gone Chapter 7 Flamepaw nearly jumped out of his pelt when the two cats had burst out of the bushes “we... need to speak to your leader” panted one of them, a dark ginger she-cat Flamepaw looked in surprise at the other, who he realised was Breezepaw. Darkfoot, who was leading the patrol, narrowed her eyes “why?” Breezepaw hissed at her “That's for Swiftstar to know” Sunfur meowed “We should let them come” Darkfoot regarded him with contempt “alright” Flamepaw watched as Darkfoot pushed the WindClan cats into the forest. She had been acting weirdly lately. Smirking at inside jokes, treating cats like crow-food, disappearing near the Thunderclan border. Was Shadepaw right? Had she been meeting Ashclaw in secret? He trudged along behind the border, trying to pretend he didn’t know Breezepaw. He wanted to talk to her and ask her advice, but Flamepaw knew that was not wise in the middle of his own camp. “what are they doing here?” Swiftstar growled, rising to his paws “I'm sorry Swiftstar” Breezepaw stepped forward “we came to ask for cat-mint” Swiftstars eyes clouded “we don’t have enough ourselves” the mood in the camp chilled considerably “if we had, Leopardclaw might have lived” Flamepaws heart froze. Leopardclaw was dead? His whole life she had been deputy of Thunderclan. “but where will we get cat-mint?” Breezepaw gasped “RiverClan might have some” Flamepaw called Swiftstars eyes brightened “yes! Flamepaw, go with Breezepaw and...” “Copperfur” the ginger cat offered. He followed Copperfur and Breezepaw down to the lake, and across the shore to RiverClan territory. Beside him, Breezepaw murmured “patrol” and a second later the said patrol appeared. They surrounded the cats and a big brown she-cat hissed at them “what are you doing on our territory?” “were not on your territory. we-”he growled, but Breezepaw cut him off “we need cat-mint. May we speak to you leader?” she meowed Flamepaw raised his head proudly at he walked into the RiverClan camp. The RiverClan medicine cat ran into the clearing and spoke hurriedly to his leader before returning to her den. “Smallclaw says cat-mint is plentiful at twolegplace” Flowerstar told them “you may take what you need” Flamepaws heart lightened. Leopardclaw may have joined StarClan, but no one else would. He returned to camp with a mouth full of herbs. The cats gathered around, eyes widening. They seemed oddly gloomy as the catmint had come. Fernpelt ran over to him and pushed him towards the medicine den. “come on” she moaned, eyes wide and distressed they rushed past the cats sitting vigil for Leopardclaw. Fear stole into Flamepaw. What if he was too late? What if another cat died? Fernpelt began to chew up the herbs. Behind her, Pearlpaw had finished making a poliguse of feverfew. Flamepaw wondered briefly what she was doing here, then asked fernpelt “will they be okay now?” “most of them yes” she riplied “but lightpaw is very sick” Epilogue a grey she-cat walked through the forest. Her tight muscles rippled as she leapt over a fallen tree. A scent came on the breeze, and the she-cat hurried toward it. A tabby tom appeared, and she bounded over to him. “Darkfoot” the tom purred, then paused “is something wrong?” Darkfoot eyes sparkled “i have thought of something to help us in our plan” the toms ears pricked, and Darkfoot continued “Ashclaw, we have an inside advantage into two cans what about the others? Would it not make sense to recruit others in the clans?” Ashclaw remained silent for a minute. “sometimes” he began slowly “I forget how smart you are. This is an amazing idea!” Darkfoot eyes glowed with pleasure, and meowed “last sundown, some widclan cats came to our territory, asking for some catmint” Ashclaw nodded curiously “one was an apprentice. She looked pretty useless. But with her was a warrior, Copperfur. I could sense ambition and power beneath her pelt. She would be perfect” “we must find a way of recruiting her” Ashclaw told her “and find a RiverClan cat too. If-" he was cut of. the forest was silent. the birds, leaves, even the wind grew still. the already dark sky darkened to such a depth that the stars where blotted out, and out of this darkness cats apeared. their pelts where black, and their eyes glowed darkly. one stepped forward, and ashclaw snarled at him "who are you?" the dark tom voise was deep as he awnsered. "i am tigerstar" A starclan cat! darkfoot thought. they must have come to stop our plans! Tigerstars pelt lightened, to a dark brown tabby pattern. "I have not come to stop you." he meowed, looking at darkfoot "but to help you" "why would a starclan cat help us?" darkfoot snarled, although he body was cold with fear "A starclan cat!" tigerstar laughed "i am no cat of theirs. i am of the dark forest!" Ashclaw sat down "so you say you can help us?" another dark forest cat stood "we all say, and we can!" he snarled "my son, hawkfrost" tigherstar told them, dipping his head in approval. then he walked forwards towards ashclaw. dark foot tensed, ready to leap to ashclaws defence, but the dark tom, hawkfrost, barred her way. "we mean you no harm" tigerstar touched his muzzle to ashclaws head, who flinched "i give you the strength to compleate your mission, wilpower to deny the best reasoning, power to bring fear to others, and darken their mind." tiger star told ashclaw and steped back. peeking around hawkfrost, darkfoot could see ashclaws eyes shining, as though imagining what he could do with these new powers. she turned to see hawkfrost staring at her, then the tom touched his muzzle to her head. his fur was as cold as ice, and felt strange, as though it was mad of water. "i give you the courage to fight the strongest patrol without fear, the ditermiatoin to never waver or look back, and the power to hode in the shadows, and the speed of legend in your claws." darkness burned inside darkfoot. it wasnt unplesent, and her fur spiked in anticipation. "all we ask from you is to complete your mission." the cats fadded and the sky lightened, untill two cats where left alone, quivering in anticipation END OF BOOK 2 continue into book three: Chasing the Storm! [[User: Treestar|'''Treestar]][[User talk: Treestar|'THANK THE ERINS!!']] , ﻿